


I Saw Red

by Adry1412



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Crazy!Rick, M/M, Murderer!rick, Non-Graphic Sex, On the Run, Past Abuse, Past Domestic Violence, Unhappy Ending, abusive!shane, bottom!daryl, eccentric!daryl, i saw red, natural born killers au, sorry!!!, top!rick
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-25
Updated: 2016-03-25
Packaged: 2018-05-28 22:16:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6347704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Adry1412/pseuds/Adry1412
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Natural Born Killers AU!<br/>It's a twist on the movie idea and not followed closely. Also twisted with Sublime's song "I Saw Red".<br/>Extreme au and I'm sorry for my mind and ideas!<br/>Thank you and I love you!!</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Saw Red

Daryl and Shane’s relationship was always covered in marks. From small love bites on collarbones, neck, and over his little star tattoo and wrists to bigger ones that Daryl hid behind long sleeves and sunglasses.  
And Rick had seen all of them.  
So when Daryl came to him one day, long sleeves on a humid day, he saw red.  
Daryl shook his head and tried to cover his eyes again with the sunglasses but Rick smacked them out of his hands, shouts reaching his ears that he hadn't noticed were his own. He wasn't going to do this again. Never again.  
Daryl's eyes were bloodshot and bruised, bright red against stark blues. Purple and yellows swirling. But all Rick saw was red.  
\---  
And that's all he saw. The red as his fist connected with Shane's face. The red of his knuckles that grew and grew and splattered. The red of blood on his arms as Daryl tried to hold him back. The red of Daryl's nose as he pushed back.  
\---  
The bright red lollipop sliding back and forth between the thin pink lips.  
It's hot as hell in the gas station. The red clay of the earth pushing forward around the edges of the asphalt.  
"Hey baby, you free?"  
Daryl made a face at the overweight trucker and peered at him over his sunglasses before turning to Rick.  
And that's all it took for Rick to snap.  
At least the gas was free.  
\---  
The dingy motel smelled awful and there were frogs in the pool. He didn't see them himself but when Daryl came back to the room, holding one that was small and a shade of dark, forest green lined in black. His lover was so excited that he couldn't bring himself to toss the vermin like he so badly wanted too.  
He followed the man out back to the light filled pool surrounded by the dark of the night. Hundreds of the fuckers were swimming freely in the clear blue water. Their silhouettes were all Rick could see. The light below the water making it glow under them. The continuous buzz of crickets and that bright red neon sign were driving him mad.  
He took Daryl right there. The younger man laying on the dirty, plastic wired lawn chairs. They were once white and blue, now so dingy with clay and grass that it might as well been the ground. But Daryl loved it. The rush of the patrons of the, unbeknown to him, empty motel possibly catching them. He giggled the whole damn time and it drove Rick insane. Grunting and pushing harder until the younger man shut up and could do nothing but gasp and moan and beg the curly haired man for more.  
He jumped in the pool when they finished. All giggling and bare nakedness as Rick laid in the filthy chair. His bruises were fading.  
That goddamn buzzing and the fucking manager shouting. They had to leave.  
He returned the red stained keys to the empty front counter in the morning as Daryl hopped in the car.  
\---  
The bright yellow sign on the side of the brick building had promised cheap breakfast. Daryl's stomach had growled as they pulled over. The red brick stood out against the dark green of the trees in circling it in the dim blue dawn.  
Coffee and toast. That's all he had wanted. Daryl wanted to know the damn special. He always wanted to fucking know. Truckers had taken the corner of the counter, watching them. No, watching Daryl. Leering at him as he bounced in his seat and hanging on every word the apathetic waitress spoke. He wanted biscuits with eggs, bacon, and gravy.  
The youngest trucker snorted when Daryl asked for a nickel for the jukebox.  
He put the coin in after shifting through the music selection on the bright red light up machine. Why had Rick let him wear that outfit? The jeans were too snug, showing off sinful hips and milky skin when his shirt rode up. Of course it rode up. With the twirl of hips and arms above his head, moving as sensually as possible with the music.  
Ding!  
The food arrives but Daryl doesn't even bat an eye. He just keeps moving. And Rick is smirking, praying for someone to fucking say something about his eccentric lover.  
It's the young truck driver. With his hat low and belt buckle between thumbs he waltz up to the unknowing dancer. Trying to cut into Daryl's solo dance. Rick can't help but snort out a laugh between mouthful of dry toast.  
The waitress scoffs and Rick's eye slide to her, cross armed and staring. The judgmental downturn of her lips. He pays no mind and asks for Daryl's food to go.  
He knows this game. Soon the man will put his hands on Daryl and his lover will giggle. Rick will pull his Python from his back pocket as he sees red. It's all red, every goddamn inch of the sweaty restaurant will seem bright and harsh until Rick is done and Daryl is a giggling mess pulling bills from the register.  
One more sip of his coffee to finish it. And then the song ends and the trucker puts his hand on Daryl's hip. He can't help but smirk along with his lover's laughs.  
\---  
The night is cold. Dark blue swirling above their heads as they lay on the grassy field next to the car.  
The fire helps. Illuminates Daryl's form when he holds him down and teases him open. He's a mess. Much too loud for Rick's ears to take when he moans and fucking shouts. It's messy and Rick can't help but hold his hand over Daryl's mouth.  
The bruises from Shane are gone. Nothing but memories. The new ones are better. Smaller, sweeter where they lie on his hips and his collarbones. A lick of pride runs through him when he sees them. His hands had marked Daryl's skin in ways that danced with the fire and swirled with the clay smearing on his back.  
It's only for the night.  
Soon the dust and dirt will fly behind their car and nothing will be left except the damp dew covered ground and a burnt out pit. And Daryl will be holding their map open across the dashboard, sunglasses on and hair flying in the wind of the topless car.  
\---  
The sun was high but cooled with the rush of the wind.  
These were the days Rick loved best. When the mask would slip and they could laugh. Daryl's bare feet on the dash and out the lowered, useless window. Rick knew it's a matter of time and only one shot of bourbon until Daryl would fish his Polaroid out the back seat and try to take a picture. He'll kiss Rick silly and take pictures, giggling like an idiot when the car swerves. They'll laugh and Rick will hold his bare thighs, shorts too short to cover anything. They'll kiss and play chicken with the trucks, Daryl standing and shouting at them with his middle finger up and the goofy grin. He'll collapse squealing when Rick pulls him down and in for a kiss.  
Yep. Only a matter of time and one shot of bourbon. Rick pulls his flask out his front pocket and takes a shot first, handing it over to his smiling lover.  
\---  
The ring sits perfectly on his lover's thin finger. Their bloods had mixed when they pressed their palms together, letting it drip into the water below. Rick had dipped Daryl, his giggles echoing in the cold rain, kissing him hard and breathlessly on the lips and cheek and neck. He was damn near screaming at Rick for ruining his favorite yellow flannel with the bloody hand print. But Rick couldn't care less. The bridge had been slippery in the rain but no cars came as Daryl danced and spun and dragged Rick with him. Their laughing echoed and their faces hurt along with Rick's ass when he fell but he'll be damned if he cared. They lay in the middle of the road on the bridge, kissing and staring at the sky. Daryl told him it was beautiful. The rain coming down on the happiest day that ever happened. He toyed with the ring, sighing happily and heavily and Rick couldn't look away from his wet, peaceful face. Not a damn bruise soiling his features. And for once, Rick looked at his red stained hand and hated the color.  
\---  
The highway is dark. Nothing but a plethora of stars and milky ways above their heads. Daryl would laugh and call him stupid because the swirls were apparently galaxies and we were IN the Milky Way.  
He smirks and glances at his lover. He's asleep, head down with a blanket pulled up over his shoulders. Only another hour to go. Then they'll have crossed the state line and they could stop.  
The lines in the middle of highway seem to blur with the speed and sleepiness but Rick will be damned if he asks Daryl to drive. The anxiety it will give his sweet lover isn't worth it. He takes a deep breathe and pulls a cigarette out of the pack in the cup holder, quickly lighting it and taking a drag before taking a pull from the flask in his front pocket. It helps. Makes the lines straight again and the stars seem so bright with the whiskey and nicotine in his blood.  
The lights come out of nowhere. Red and blue and screeching in both his ears and eyes. He looks to make sure Daryl's still asleep before pulling over onto the sand.  
One last drag and he flicks the cigarette at the feet of the burly, mustached state trooper. He glares at Rick before stepping on the butt, smashing it before asking for his license and registration.  
Rick just sighs and looks over to Daryl, still sleeping peacefully. He strokes his lovers cheek and pulls the flask out, taking a swig as the cop steps back, shouting for Rick to get out of the car.  
Now the fucker's gone too far. Daryl stirs when the trooper shouts again. Rick looks at the beautiful man and whispers an apology before pulling his colt out and shooting the cop right between the eyes. The shot wakes his lover and Rick drowns out his confusion while staring at the deep red. He sees the red and he loves the power.  
He takes his lover in the back seat. Daryl's back supported by the same blanket that had kept him warm. The stars drink up sweet noises Daryl spills as Rick himself spills deep inside his gorgeous young lover.  
\---  
Of course it ends.  
Everything has to end. But Rick never thought that it would be like this.  
38 murders, 14 injured across 5 states. Daryl hadn't like those numbers. He wanted it in even multiples of 5, always. And Rick had wanted nothing more than to fix those goddamn numbers when the sheriffs had shouted them to the pair in front of the late night pharmacy.  
The neon sign buzzed and Daryl was giggling. He thought it was funny that the sheriffs were hiding behind their car doors. He reached and grabbed Rick's hand, smirking at his lover and whispering how much he loved him. A man had grabbed Rick, pulling him to the side as another reached for Daryl. Their hands were pried apart.  
And of course, through Daryl's frightened screams, Rick saw red. He saw the man drag his lover away only to hit him across his perfect cheekbones. He had promised to never allow Daryl to have that fear in his eyes. Not since Shane.  
The cops nose was first. Then another's mouth and a third's eyes when Rick forces his thumbs into them. His gun drawn and he's shooting. Shooting and punching and shouting for his lover. The buzz of the sign seems to drown out nearly all the other noises in Rick's head. Except one.  
That one gunshot.  
And the certain, dark shade of red that makes Rick sick is back.  
He stops fighting.  
Another shot.  
\---

**Author's Note:**

> Please comment and let me know if you liked this!!! I live for feedback haha! <3  
> Thank you and I love you all!!


End file.
